Every year for the last decade or so, basketball fans have hate-anticipated ESPN’s annual list of the “100 Best NBA Players” so they could fly off the handle that X player is ranked four spots higher than their favorite player. Known as #NBArank, this ESPN list has been a mid-October source of heated debates, sparks endless discussions and social media meltdowns for the past 14 years as the new NBA season approaches.

As the new 2024-25 NBA season approaches, the excitement is no different this season when ESPN released their top-ranked players #100-51 earlier this week. And from a quick look at this year’s list, this ranking may be the most controversial ranking from the last decade. We’re predicting there’s going to be a lot of angry NBA fans going into the 2024-25 season.

ESPN’s 100 Best NBA Players Going Into 2024-25

While there’s often little disagreement about the very top players in the league—superstars like Nikola Jokić, Giannis Antetokounmpo, and Stephen Curry are almost always at the forefront — even according to surveys of GMs and that’s proved out by this year’s top ten. The player rankings become more intriguing as you move further down the list. Will LeBron James, who is entering his 22nd season, maintain his place among the elite?  Where will players like Luka Dončić or Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who took leaps into superstadom last season be ranked? And perhaps the most pressing question for the upcoming season: What can we expect from the phenomenal Victor Wembanyama? And with last year’s glaring omission of Derrick White be remedied?

Wembanyama had a historic rookie season and the 7-5 Sophomore finds himself ranked 11th this year. His position reflects his extraordinary potential but also acknowledges that there’s still room for growth. Many analysts, including ESPN’s Michael C. Wright and Matt Williams, believe this ranking is justified given Wembanyama’s already impressive achievements, including his defensive prowess and game-changing presence on the court. However, others argue that he could easily outperform this ranking, possibly climbing into MVP contention as he evolves into one of the league’s most dominant two-way players.

 

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Beyond Wembanyama, there are other notable surprises and omissions that will undoubtedly spark debates.

Players like Draymond Green and Josh Hart, whose on-court contributions to their team’s success go beyond individual stats, are continually underrated. And while we absolutely LOVE Donte DiVincenzo, should he be ranked higher than Tyler Herro, Myles Turner, and Lu Dort?  Sorry Donte, we don’t think so.  Another question among dozens of questions is Dereck Lively II, Immanuel Quickley, and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope better than Draymond, Fred VanVleet, Chris Paul, and CJ McCollum? Also, we love Brandin Podziemski, but Brandin Podziemski at #79?! I can feel the internet exploding as you read this.

2025 #ESPNRank Best Player Methodology

For the 2024-25 season, ESPN has once again tapped into their vast pool of analysts and experts to curate the latest edition, ranking the league’s top talent and offering insights into which players are expected to shine. With an extensive panel and detailed methodology, ESPN’s rankings go beyond surface-level stats, projecting each player’s potential impact for the upcoming season. The rankings themselves are determined by a rigorous process. ESPN’s expert panel, consisting of notable NBA journalists and analysts like Kevin Pelton, Dave McMenamin, and the divisive Malika Andrews (who I just learned is married to McMenamin), meticulously compared players head-to-head in over 15,000 possible matchups. The central question guiding their evaluations was, “Which player will perform better in 2024-25?”

This #NBArank method goes beyond past accomplishments, pushing experts to predict which athletes will deliver the most during the upcoming season. This predictive approach makes the list dynamic and sometimes controversial, as it accounts for expected player growth, injury recoveries, and potential declines.

ESPN’s #NBArank serves as a prelude to the NBA season, sparking discussions about which players will define the year. While the methodology—based on head-to-head comparisons and performance predictions—ensures that the rankings are grounded in expert analysis, the unpredictable nature of sports leaves plenty of room for surprises. Whether or not fans agree with the rankings, one thing is certain: the 2024-25 NBA season promises to be an exciting one – the question is whether they’ll live up to their ESPN ranking.